Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Ritual Weekend Facial Foursome

Now, I can't take complete credit for this facial concoction. When Anna landed the post about the triple threat facial I knew my skin had a lot of pampering coming it's way. Separate masks to suit your skins every need, leaving it feeling like you've just stepped out of the beauty salon, aside from the tracksuit bottoms, hair mask on and a bun atop your head...just me? *First I should give you a quick low down on the status of my skin. I've always had combination skin like I mentioned in my previous post but in the last few winter months (yep we're still in winter) it has definitely leaned on the drier side although still with a touch of shine and pretty dehydrated too. So everything really! I suffered very bad acne when I was younger and am still prone to breakouts plus was left with many lovely reminders of that time, scarring! But with the help of a few blogger babes and their recommendations and a constant ongoing strive for perfect skin my scarring has dramatically reduced this past year. I still have a long way to go before 'perfect' skin emerges but it definitely won't stop be trying. *

This has become a ritual in my bathroom every weekend without fail, starting with Soap and Glory - No Clogs Allowed. This is an exfoliator that doubles as a mask that I slap onto skin that has been splashed with warm water and leave on for a minute or two before rubbing in circular motions. It is advertised as a pore minimiser and I genuinely believe this has helped reduce the appearance of the pores on my cheeks. No Clogs Allowed is a self heating mask which will turn blue as you rub and when washed will leave you with the smoothest skin. An exfoliator that's not too harsh for my sensitive skin and at £11 it won't break the bank either.

So now your skins scrubbed and ready for a deep clean, in comes Origins - Clear Improvement mask. Origins charcoal clay mask won't just leave you looking like the wicked witch, slathered on and left to dry it clears out the weeks dirt (lovely eh?) and leaves your skin feeling as good as new again. Having acne prone skin I feel this is so beneficial for me to do every week to keep pesky breakouts at bay. £20 for 100ml isn't the cheapest but in August I blagged the limited edition travel size 50ml for half the price (Selfridges) and it's only just coming to an end now. So for value for money you can't ask much better than that.

Third up it's time to induce some radiance into my dull complexion. Scarring leaves my skin completely glowless...yep, thats a word-and so I try to give it a boost where I can. This is where REN - Glycolactic Radiance Renewal mask is introduced. It has been in my life since Christmas and has earned a permanent place in my skincare routine. Explained as a bio active peel mask with fruit acids it sounds technically confusing and a tad scary but basically does what it says on the tin. Living up to it's claims to, make skin look brighter, healthier and more radiant whilst removing dead skin cells. It's love. With the weirdest texture, think gloopy mess, applied for 10 minutes I always see instant results when sloughed off. My skin looks a little brighter each time and I do see an improvement in my scarring. I may have to ramp up my use to twice a week for maximum radiance. £30 for 50ml is more of a splurge but for the results and the fact there's nothing similar on the shelves of Boots it will always warrant a repurchase from me. *Although I should add that for people with hyper sensitive skin you might want to tread carefully. I would usually put myself into this category but I fortunately haven't had too much of a problem apart from a little sensitivity after use. But for you wary ladies, not to be left out, REN offer an alternative. F10 Smooth and Renew mask has been dubbed the gentler version and at £20 you've got the better end of the deal.*

So the fourth in the mix, if you're still with me, is an optional choice. Not apart of my ritual but I try and remember to throw it in right at the end when I get a chance. Origins - Drink Up Intensive mask is the ultimate in hydrating after all those products. This is an overnight mask, although I am more inclined to use it earlier as it can be on the tacky side, and that plus my pillow and freshly washed hair don't mix. But after it sinks in it leaves my skin feeling plump, soft, with no dry spots or rough areas and also quite refreshed. *Note-use this more* I promise this routine is much quicker to do than to read! So now my skins been scrubbed, cleaned, renewed and hydrated and ready for whatever the world has to throw at it. Until next week.

I definitely think this helped. Just cleans all your pores out and my skin feels so smooth after! Definitely recommend trying it out. Also have you tried Benefit Porefessional? Its on my 'to review' list. Really does help minimise the appearance of large pores especially during the day! :)Thanks for being the first person to comment :)

About Me

I have been obsessively reading fashion and beauty blogs for years and thought it was about time I threw my own opinions into the mix and start my little space in the beauty world! I hope you enjoy the ramblings of a fashion & beauty lover!